Facets
by chibi6
Summary: Oh! My Goddess and You're Under Arrest crossover - A wrong number brings the goddesses to the Bokuto District,
1. Chapter 1

Facets  
  
PART I: Desire I.  
  
Great Hall, Heaven  
  
Her steps echoed in the great hall. She forced herself to lighten her step, but each time her foot brushed the cold marble floor, she felt a resounding thump. Or was that the beating of her own heart, pounding steadily in her head?  
  
Fear, excitement, anticipation.what was she supposed to feel? The resulting headache was what really was bothering her at the moment. Then there was that blessed numbness inside of her, that made her walk almost mechanically towards her destination.  
  
She could feel the eyes on her. Thousands upon thousands of eyes stared intently upon her. Angels floated behind their respective goddesses like misty reflections, humming softly.  
  
She stopped a few feet away from the goddess, Peorth. Younger goddesses glided around them, the light from their hands creating the intricate markings needed for the ceremony. Peorth herself began preparing for the ritual, already compiling the data in her head. Eyes closed, her lips moved soundlessly. She floated a bit, yellow-white light outlining her features, spreading over her body as the hands of the goddesses met, closing the markings, thereby closing the seal. The hum of the angels was stronger now.  
  
She felt cold and clammy. Sweat trickled down the sides of her face. Blood pounded in her head. She felt so dizzy, like she wanted to give up everything and simply collapse on the ground in soft, sweet slumber. A myriad of images flashed in her mind then.  
  
Belldandy, Urd, Keichi, and Sentaro.  
  
Her vision cleared. She stared at Peorth. At the same time, Peorth's eyes opened and their gazes met. Peorth shouted the words to begin the installation program.  
  
Skuld gasped as she, too, floated in the air, much higher than Peorth. Unable to help herself, she tilted her head upwards, seeking and finding grace from the Almighty. Light traveled from Peorth to Him, and He, in turn, turned a brighter white beam towards Skuld.  
  
There was no pain, just an intense heat, and the added weight of responsibility. Such a heavy burden, is this what Belldandy lived with everyday?  
  
The light engulfed her completely. Slowly, it dimmed, revealing her crumpled form, lying amidst the now burnt markings.  
  
Peorth smiled, nodding at the two figures waiting anxiously at a corner. Belldandy and Urd stepped forward then, draping holy robes on their beloved sister.  
  
"Behold," Peorth said clearly. "The newest member of the Goddess Helpline."  
  
Angels sand their praises, their voices mingling with the cheers of the other goddesses.  
Bokuto District  
  
He felt the sudden rush of excitement as the finish line came into view. He went past one rider, two.only one was ahead of him now. The urge to step on the gas pedal was weighing down on him. He kept his cool, though, ignoring the subtle twitching of his foot.  
  
Sure enough, they passed an unforeseen obstruction near the end, several small roadblocks meant to catch a reckless rider off-guard. The one ahead of him swerved towards the sidelines.  
  
He was in the clear. The roar of the crowd was deafening. He threw his helmet down and marched towards the stage to claim his trophy. Many reached out to shake his hand, but his attention was centered on one particular figure, watching him with tear-filled eyes. He took hold of her hand and pulled her up beside him.  
  
"KISS! KISS! KISS!"  
  
With the crowd cheering him on, he leaned forward, more than willing to bestow a kiss upon his lady love.  
  
"KOBAYAKAWA!!" He gasped out. He had opened his eyes to find her face so close to his. He twisted, jerked, and toppled over with his seat.  
  
"Nakajima-kun!" Miyuki exclaimed, kneeling down beside him. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."  
  
"Oh! Ah.er.think nothing of it. I'm all right now." He struggled to pull himself and the chair upright, managing to complicate the simple process. He ended up sanding with a chair held quite irregularly in his hands.  
  
It took several more moments for him to entangle himself. She bent down to pick up the scrap of paper he had dropped.  
  
"Ah! Is Zapper sponsoring this.motorcycle race?"  
  
"Yes, well, it was my dad's idea. Sena wanted a car race, but dad got his way. And well, it is good for publicity and all."  
  
"So you're thinking of joining?" She asked, smiling as she handed the flyer back to him.  
  
His hand shook a little as his fingers closed over the paper.  
  
"Well, I was thinking about it. It's a free-for-all, anyone riding a motorcycle can pretty much join in and well, I'd be really confident about joining if, um, that is.if."  
  
. if you were there, by my side.  
  
"IF YOU WERE - "  
  
Her eyes widened then. Awareness spread over her features. Oddly, it wasn't a sudden noise that unsettled her, but the glaringly obvious silence that reigned on them. She peered around the room to see the eager faces of all the other officers of the Bokuto Traffic Department watching them intently.  
  
Miyuki flushed. "Um.er.c'mon, Natsumi. It's time for our rounds."  
  
"What?" Natsumi mumbled as she munched on a pack of manju. "But we just finished our rounds!"  
  
"Oh, Right. Well, then, I should get started on my reports."  
  
"You already passed your reports today," The chief stated without looking up from the paperwork he was going through.  
  
"Ah.er.right.Well.then.um, I ah, ahem.going to um.the bathroom!" Miyuki turned quickly and left.  
  
As she closed the door behind her, the din resumed.  
  
"WAAAAHHH!! Natsumi ate all the manju!!"  
  
"What'll we do for midday snacks now?"  
  
"Chief! Such behavior is inappropriate for any police station at such an early point in the day!!!"  
  
The rustle of a newspaper, followed by a heavy sigh.  
  
Miyuki echoed that sigh as she closed the door behind her.  
  
"Oh, hello, Miyuki," Aoi said cheerfully. "Goodness, what's all the uproar about?"  
  
"Apparently, Natsumi ate all the manju for the midday snacks."  
  
"I see," Aoi frowned. "Oh, dear, and Yoriko was looking forward to all that manju."  
  
"Maybe I should go and buy some.?"  
  
"No, that's all right. I bought them from the local bakery at the corner. They were so thrilled at the large order, I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I called in for an emergency delivery." Aoi smiled reassuringly. "You go ahead and get some rest. You look kind of flushed."  
  
Miyuki nodded stiffly and marched towards the girl's locker room.  
  
Aoi turned towards a nearby vacant office and gently placed the tray of tea on the dusty desk. She picked up the phone. Feeling quite pleased as she heard the dial tone, she punched in the number, humming softly as she waited for someone to pick up.  
  
"Hello--"  
  
"Ah, hello, this is Aoi Futaba from the traffic department at Bokuto Station, I was just."  
  
"---thank you for calling the Goddess Helpline. We will be sending you our representative very shortly."  
  
"Oh, no, wait, I'm sorry. I must've dialed the wrong."  
  
"We hope to hear from you again on your next life. Have a good one!"  
  
"What? Hey.!!"  
  
Beep, beep  
  
"That was so weird. I.YEEEEEEEEKKKK!!!!"  
  
Bright light flashed from one of the teacups. It rattled violently, rocking from side to side. A darker shade of light shot out.  
  
Oh, God, it wasn't light.it was blurry.but it had a definite shape.it was a.hand??  
  
Aoi scrambled backwards, pressing himself against the wall. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out.  
  
The teacup fell forward. The hand grasped the edge of the table. A head popped out of the teacup. Its face was scrunched up in pain. Another hand shot out to grasp the table.  
  
"Ouch. Ugh. Ungh.I knew.I.grunt.shouldn't have eaten so much of Belldandy's celebration cake last night," The stranger squeaked out. "Couldn't you have had something bigger? Like maybe the actual teapot?" She complained.  
  
With one last push, the girl fell out of the cup, tumbling to the floor in a careless heap.  
  
"Oh, geez, so much for my entrance!"  
  
"Who.WHAT are you?" Aoi demanded shakily.  
  
The girl stood up, brushed herself a few times, then spun around, amidst flashes of lights and firecrackers. She ended with a wide sweep of her arm, bowing low before Aoi.  
  
"Good day to you. I am Skuld, 2nd class goddess (limited).at your service."  
  
Aoi pushed himself away from the wall then, glaring at the remnants of firecrackers. "Goddess, huh?" She nudged the debris on the floor. "You sure went through a lot of trouble for this childish prank. I'll let you get off easy if you promise to clean this up and never do this again. All right?"  
  
"Childish prank?!" The girl's face turned a vivid shade of red. After a few calming breaths, she produced a small, white card with a flourish.  
  
SKULD 2ND CLASS, LIMITED GODDESS TECHNICAL HELPLINE  
  
"I am here to grant you any wish. Or, more clearly put, I am here to grant you your heart's desire. Fate has chosen you, Aoi Futaba, to partake of this great gift. It means you are good of heart." Skuld smiled. "I look forward to processing your request."  
  
Aoi shook his head. "Why are you doing this, little one? Don't you have school today? Clean up your act and leave before I turn you to the juvenile department."  
  
"I-AM-NOT-A-KID!" Skuld snapped, unable to help herself. "And I am not leaving until you've been granted your heart's desire! You're my first task. I will not fail on this!"  
  
"All right, that's it. Who put you up to this? This nonsense has to stop and you need to get back to your normal course of life. Besides," He added caustically as the stranger began to open her mouth again. "I have no great desire. I am quite happy with my life."  
  
So saying, Aoi turned and walked towards the open doorway.  
  
"I find it hard to believe that a man who walks around, hiding under woman's skirts, has no great desire for anything."  
  
Aoi paused then. He turned back, his knees not quite steady. He spared a quick glance at his clothing to check if his boxer shorts were peeking out of the long skirt he was wearing.  
  
His angry stare turned to the little girl before him, who stood quite calmly.  
  
"No one put me up to this," She said gently. "You have been blessed, Aoi Futaba, for your kind heart and gentle spirit."  
  
She took a step closer then, reaching for Aoi's hand.  
  
"I am a goddess, sent from heaven to reward you. Let me grant your wish."  
  
Aoi looked from their joined hands to the large, innocent eyes. He saw truth then.  
  
.heart's desire?  
  
.can it be? Can it really be that simple?  
  
Several emotions swirled in Aoi's eyes. Trembling, he wrenched his hand away and ran down the corridor, the tea forgotten.  
  
Skuld tucked a wet tendril of hair behind her ear and sighed.  
  
"You can't run away forever Aoi Futaba. I will accomplish this task." The corner of her eye shone brightly. "Because I am a GENIUS!!" 


	2. Chapter 2

II.  
  
He felt the sudden rush of excitement as the finish line came into view. He went past one rider, two.only one was ahead of him now. The urge to step on the gas pedal was weighing down on him. He kept his cool, though, ignoring the subtle twitching of his foot.  
  
Sure enough, they passed an unforeseen obstruction near the end, several small roadblocks meant to catch a reckless rider off-guard. The one ahead of him swerved towards the sidelines.  
  
He was in the clear. The roar of the crowd was deafening. He threw his helmet down and marched towards the stage to claim his trophy. Many reached out to shake his hand, but his attention was centered on one particular figure, watching him with tear-filled eyes. He took hold of her hand and pulled her up beside him.  
  
"KISS! KISS! KISS!"  
  
With the crowd cheering him on, he leaned forward, more than willing to bestow a kiss upon his lady love.  
  
"What are you doing, dear?"  
  
"AAAH.BELLDANDY!!!" Keichi Morisato yelped, tumbling backward as he realized how close Belldandy's face was.  
  
She tipped her head in innocent inquiry. "Are you all right? You look a little pale."  
  
The feel of her warm hand on his forehead set his nerves reeling even more. It took several seconds before he realized that Skuld wasn't there.  
  
What are you waiting for, Morisato? Now's your chance!  
  
"Belldandy!" But his hand grasped only air. He blinked. She had bent over beside him, picking up the wrinkled flyer at his feet.  
  
"Oh! A racing competition." She smiled. "Are you thinking of joining it then?"  
  
He stared up at her smiling face and smiled. "Yes, because it's obviously where you want to be. Seeing as its held in the same district where Skuld is right now."  
  
Her face registered shock. Then she turned away, troubled.  
  
He laid a hand gently on her shoulder. "I heard you talking about it with Urd last night. Hey -" He nudged her a bit until she was facing him. "It's not a weakness, worrying over your sister. It's in your nature, Bell. And it's one of the things that draw me to you."  
  
"And so.let's go to Bokuto," He finished, smiling broadly.  
  
Blinking back tears, she reached out to hug him. Keichi sighed again, lingering over the moment. But there was a determined gleam in his eye as he thought about winning the race.and his lady love.  
  
* * *  
  
Trying desperately to keep a firm hold on his temper, Aoi marched back into the traffic department and plopped heavily into his chair.  
  
"Ne, Aoi, are you OK?" Yoriko said worriedly.  
  
"Yeah, just had this irritating encounter with some kid."  
  
"Girl, long hair, pretty face with strange marks?"  
  
"Yes, how'd you know?"  
  
"She's uh, right next to you."  
  
Aoi blinked, glanced back and saw Skuld's face. He couldn't help himself. He screamed loud enough to jar everyone in the room. He stood quickly, knocking his chair down in the process.  
  
"Ah, Skuld," The chief said suddenly. "I was wondering when you'd arrive."  
  
"You.you know this kid?" Aoi said.  
  
"Kid? This is Skuld from Tokyo. She may look young, but she is a certified genius when it comes to electronic gadgetry. Seeing as our attempts to bring IT into the station a few months back failed considerably." He gazed pointedly around the room. Several heads bowed down, mumbling incoherently. "Anyway, they sent her over to make a routine check and see what can be done to improve things around here."  
  
"I.I see." Flustered, Aoi sat back down.  
  
"Now, I want everyone to give her a warm welcome," The chief stated firmly. "And I expect you to cooperate with her. Let us show them how civilized the Bokuto precinct can be.when absolutely necessary."  
  
So saying, he sat back down and picked up the newspaper, flipping through it was though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.  
  
"So," Aoi said quietly, the rage building up inside him again. "You lied to me."  
  
"No."  
  
"NO?"  
  
"No," Skuld repeated calmly. "Although I hate to admit it, I DO look like a kid by your standards. Do you really believe all that stuff he said about me? How weird is that? The system force is merely at work here, ensuring that I remain with you until my task is fulfilled.  
  
"Task?" Aoi gritted out.  
  
"To fulfill your heart's desire."  
  
Aoi's face contorted in fury. As he swung back his hand, another voice caught his attention.  
  
"Aoi?" Yoriko said tentatively. "What's wrong?"  
  
Breathing heavily, he lowered his hand. What was it about this child that rattled him so much? He never lost patience with anyone, especially children.  
  
"I'm fine. I'm just.feeling a little sick, I guess. Maybe I'm coming down with something." He sat back down, rubbing his temples.  
  
"Oh, well, here's something that ought to cheer you up," Yoriko said, grinning.  
  
At the suspicious glint of her glasses, Aoi knew Yoriko was scheming something again. He smiled resignedly, leaning forward to listen to Yoriko's latest project.  
  
He had successfully blocked the strange girl from his mind.  
  
"You think it'll be that easy, Aoi Futaba?" Skuld though angrily.  
  
"Um, Skuld, is it?" A young officer said, tapping her on the shoulder. "I'm Saori. Would you like a tour of the facilities? I'd be happy to show you around."  
  
"Yes, thanks," She replied.  
  
"You can't escape fate, Aoi. You can't escape ME." With that thought flashing in her mind, Skuld allowed Saori to lead the way.  
  
Aoi heard the parting thought clearly in his head.  
Elsewhere.  
  
"A week? Off from work?" Chihiro snorted. "How will I ever get the work here done?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Keichi stammered out, bowing several times. "But I thought this race would be a good opportunity."  
  
"Race? Did you say race?"  
  
Keichi blinked and handed her the flyer.  
  
"Tch. For amateurs only?" Chihiro frowned. "Rats.there go my chances."  
  
Keichi slumped to the floor in surprise. "Boss."  
  
"Miss Chihiro," Belldandy said softly. "It's really important that Keichi and I make this trip."  
  
"Hey," Chihiro said, cocking her head in a light-hearted manner. "What do you take me for? Of course you can go!"  
  
"All right!!" Belldandy and Keichi exclaimed happily, exchanging a high five.  
  
"BUT - Keichi will have to perform extra work when he returns AND I expect a share of the price money for all the valuable service I'll be missing this week."  
  
Keichi griped a bit at that, but made no real effort to complain as Belldandy fairly nudged him out the door eager to be on their way.  
  
"TAMIYA! OTAKI!"  
  
"Yes, Miss Chihiro, we heard every word and as we are always at your service, we will accompany Mr. Morisato on his journey and ensure his victory!"  
  
"Dat's right!"  
  
"What are you two yammering about? Grab a couple of brooms from the closet back there, we have our work cut out for us this week with Keichi gone. Now c'mon, you big goons! Move it!!"  
  
* * *  
  
"C'mon, Aoi, hurry up!" Yoriko called.  
  
"I'm coming," He shouted back, slamming his locker door shut. As soon as he did, he noted a familiar shadow against the locker next to his.  
  
"You again!"  
  
Skuld sighed, pushing herself away from the locker door.  
  
"Still don't believe me? I should've reconsidered my plan to give you a day to let it all sink in. Statistically speaking, I figured you'd find it a little more easier to believe me once the shock has dissipated a bit, rather than to tail you all day until your nerves frazzle to the point where you start denying my existence. According to my research, that's what happened to nearly 25% of our clients."  
  
She shook her head determinedly. "That's not going to happen to me, especially when I'm on my first assignment!"  
  
"I don't believe this!" Aoi exclaimed in frustration.  
  
"Really? I think you do. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother you so much. Look, why don't you make this easier for both of us? Tell me your wish, your heart's desire to be exact; I grant it, and both of us can go home happy."  
  
"Who don't you just drop this nonsense? THEN I'll be happy!"  
  
Skuld raised her eyebrows at that. "Are you ever happy?"  
  
Aoi's face reddened with rage. So much that Skuld took a step back.  
  
"DROP IT," Aoi repeated. "Before we both regret it."  
  
Aoi walked towards the door then. Skuld blew out a breath in exasperation and rushed after him.  
  
"What do you want? More proof? Is that what you need?"  
  
Aoi didn't bother to answer as he reached Yoriko.  
  
"Shall we go?"  
  
"OK." Yoriko noticed Skuld then. "Oh, hello, Skuld! Ne, where are you staying tonight?"  
  
Skuld glanced at Aoi, then back at Yoriko. She grinned.  
  
"Oh," Yoriko blinked several times. "That's right! I forgot! You're supposed to stay over at my place!"  
  
"SHE'S WHAT?"  
  
"Yes, thanks," Skuld looked up at Aoi. "Proof enough for you that there are other forces at work here?"  
  
"Why you.you little demon!!!" Aoi cried out, reaching for her.  
  
Yoriko stepped in front of Skuld, frowning up at her friend.  
  
"What's gotten into you, Aoi? You've been acting strange all day and now you're picking on a defenseless child."  
  
"Defenseless?" Aoi sputtered. "THAT is not a child! Can't you see? She's done something to you!"  
  
Yoriko's glasses had gone far enough down her nose for Aoi to see her expression.  
  
More than worry.more than a pinch of irritation.was a great deal of pity.  
  
She pushed her glasses back up then, and took a firm hold on Skuld's hand.  
  
"Let's go. Good night, Aoi. I hope you'll feel better in the morning.  
  
Aoi stood there, watching as they got in Yoriko's car and drove away. He remained on the front stpes, but his thoughts had gone far away.  
  
Memories.  
  
Basketball games.  
  
Golf tournaments.  
  
The thrill of winning; people cheering him on. The glory, the fame, the rightness of it all.  
  
THAT was Aoi Futaba.  
  
Was?  
  
Who are you now?  
  
I don't know. Don't ask me that.  
  
Why?  
  
Because. I don't know. Go away.  
  
All right. I'll go back to the memories. What came after the glory of the school games? What happened then?  
  
Shut up. Stop it.  
  
You were still great then, Aoi. You did much more after school, much more beyond sports.  
  
Except that one thing.  
  
What?  
  
Nothing. It was nothing.  
  
I was nothing. I am nothing.  
  
Aoi shivered. He broke away from his thoughts, realizing he'd been standing on the front steps for over an hour. He shook his head and began to walk. Away from himself.  
  
* * *  
  
"There's something different in the air tonight. I'm telling you Natsumi. Something big's coming.I can feel it."  
  
Natsumi stared quite dumbly at him. Then, with one good scratch, she scampered off in search of a banana.  
  
Toukairin sighed. Tomorrow, he'd try sharing his troubles with the human Natsumi.  
  
Sighing, he reached out to switch on his portable TV. The wind blew, chilling him considerably.  
  
It was a different kind of chill. The biting cold weather in the Himalayas didn't scare him. But this one did.  
  
Thunder and lightning crackled overhead. A bunch of sharp, screeching noises emitted from the TV.  
  
He reached over again, knocking it lightly on the side and tipping it every which way, trying to get a good reception.  
  
Natsumi screamed as thunder and lightning came faster and harder. The monkey dove for the sleeping bag.  
  
"Coward," He commented jovially as he struggled with the television. Finally, he got a picture of one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. And she was staring straight at him.  
  
He dropped the TV in surprise. Lightning stuck then. There was an explosion, a blinding light, and a whole lot of smoke.  
  
And when it all faded, there was a very real, very sexy lady in his arms.  
  
* * *  
  
"Belldandy, we have to go," Keichi said.  
  
"I know." She took the helmet being offered to her and placed it resignedly on her head.  
  
"She'll be fine, Bell. No one can mess with a goddess."  
  
"I know." Belldandy closed her eyes and tried to visualize the vicinity anyway. Yet there was no trace of her.  
  
Urd. 


	3. Chapter 3

PART II: Jealousy  
  
III.  
  
Early the next day, Aoi marched up to Bokuto station. He would make sure that the little she-devil, the little BRAT would be more apt a term, would keep away from trouble. Especially when she was so close to Yoriko.  
  
Aoi wrenched open his locker and began to don his clothes.  
  
The quickest and smartest way to deal with an enemy was to stick very close to her.  
  
With a firm nod, he headed out the locker room, nearly colliding with Natsumi.  
  
"Natsumi! You're.um.early.and it's your day off." He uttered, confused.  
  
Natsumi didn't hear him. She dashed towards the stairs at the end of the hall.  
  
"SEMPAI! WE DO NOT RUN IN THE HALLS!" Saori's indignant shriek resounded in the stairwell.  
  
"Two words. Officer Toukairin." Yoriko grinned at Aoi.  
  
"Ah, good morning, Yoriko," Aoi said cheerfully. His eyes grew cold as they descended on her companion. "Skuld."  
  
"Good morning, Aoi," Skuld said, unfazed.  
  
"Well," Yoriko said, waving her hands in front of her as if to blow away the tension in the air. " I was just about to show Skuld our File Room. She figures the least she could do is tranfer our files into a secure database."  
  
"Oh. That sounds like a plan. I'll join you."  
  
"What?" Yoriko said in surprise as Aoi grabbed her arm and fairly dragged her down the hall. "But it's no big deal, I can just."  
  
"There's thousands upon thousands of files there, surely you wouldn't mind some male assistance to carry things around. I." Aoi stopped then.  
  
Yoriko eyed him strangely. "Yeah, sure, Aoi. Whatever you say."  
  
Skuld watched the scene before her with growing interest.  
  
* * *  
  
Natsumi bounded up the steps leading to the roof. Her heart was pounding from.exhilaration? Anticipation?She shook her head and laughed a little. She didn't really care. She'd been feeling lightheaded since Toukairin's call late last night.  
  
The door swung open. Temporarily blinded by the brightness of the sun's rays, she rushed on. As her vision cleared, she noted a familiar figure emerge from the tent.  
  
She slackened her pace, walking slowly towards him. His face was more visible now. As was the rest of him.  
  
She frowned, squinted. Was that a snake?  
  
She gasped and ran forward. He smiled, but she barely noticed, her gaze centered on the dark-skinned.  
  
.arms? She realized as hands trailed across Toukairin's chest.  
  
She stopped then. And stared. She really couldn't do much more.  
  
A million emotions overcame her, threatening to make her move forward and do something really stupid. The urge to cry was fast overtking her senses.  
  
That would've been the stupidest thing to do.  
  
She turned and ran back towards the station.  
  
* * *  
  
"NATSUMI! WAIT!" Toukairin shouted. The hands grasping him tightened their grip. "Hey, hey let go!!"  
  
"NO!" She cried out piteously.  
  
"NATSUMI!" Toukairin wrenched himself free from the stranger's grip.  
  
Lightning and thunder filled the clear blue skies.  
  
* * *  
  
Miyuki jumped as thunder echoed around her. She glanced up at the sky in consternation. Aside from the occasional burst of lightning, the weather seemed fine.  
  
A bit chilled, she kept her attention on the road again. She was relieved to see a familiar figure on her side mirror.  
  
"Good morning, Nakajima-kun," She greeted,  
  
"Kobayakawa!" He adjusted the speed of his motorcycle to match with her car. "Where are you headed?"  
  
She shook her head. "Nowhere in particular. It's my day off, so I'm driving around."  
  
"I see. I'm uh, heading towards Zapper, if you'd like to join me. Uh, ah, I mean, Sena would be glad to see you. And I'm sure you'd love to see Megumi-chan."  
  
"Megumi?" Miyuki said, taken aback. "Um, won't she be in school?"  
  
"Oh, right. Well, ah." Nakajima coughed. "Well, I'd better be on my way now."  
  
"I'd love to join you," Miyuki said quickly.  
  
The two drove in comfortable silence towards Zapper. They stopped by the garage.  
  
A flustered Sena came rushing out to greet them.  
  
"Customers? Or potential racers? Please, please come in!" Sena sighed in relief. "Ken, Miyuki! It's been such a busy day; what with the racing preparations, registration, and minding the store. Honda-san had to go off again on some racing tour and we're pretty much short-handed."  
  
"Oh! Do you need help with anything?" Miyuki asked.  
  
"No, no," Sena said cheerfully. "It's all starting to come together now that I've hired some extra help."  
  
"Excuse me," A soft voice uttered through the open doorway. "Would anyone like some tea and snacks? Oh, visitors!"  
  
The enchanting face accompanying the equally beautiful voice broke into a warm smile. Fair skin, long hair, large, innocent eyes; and a soft, lilting voice. Every man's epitome of a perfect woman.  
  
Nakajima could do no more than openly gape at her. Miyuki noticed after she herself got over her own surprise over the vision before her. What she failed to see was the figure who slid out from under one of the cars.  
  
"Is that cake, Bell? Thanks." Keichi crammed one piece in his mouth, then bent over to resume his task.  
  
A bit rattled, Miyuki moved over to familiar territory. She bent over the car and started discussing the repairs. The stranger was very much impressed and carried on a lively conversation with her.  
  
Miyuki felt a stirring at the back of her neck. She noted that the nuts and bolts on the ground seemed to vibrate. She looked up to see the lovely stranger staring at them much with the same expression Miyuki had sported earlier. Their gazes met. And locked.  
  
Moments later, both expressions softened into a smile. An invisible bond of friendship had formed.  
  
After all, it was not in either woman's nature to hate.  
  
"I'm Belldandy, and this is Keichi," She began. "It's a pleasure to meet you."  
  
"Miyuki."  
  
"Miyuki." Belldandy turned questioningly to the other figure. It was only then that Nakajima broke off his stupor.  
  
"Er."  
  
"This is Ken," Sena said proudly. "My son."  
  
"Oh. Oh, dear." Belldandy looked from Nakajima to Sena.  
  
"This is actually quite easy to explain." Miyuki began.  
  
"Ah!" Belldandy exclaimed then. "She had one of those plastic surgery things, right?"  
  
Silence filled the garage, followed by joyous laughter.  
  
* * *  
  
"For someone who was near to pretending I didn't exist yesterday, you've had an astounding turnaround. You haven't left our side all day, Aoi Futaba. Have I made a believer out of you?"  
  
Aoi snorted. "Staying close to you is a good way of ensuring you don't cause any trouble. What do you want from me, anyway?"  
  
Skuld sighed deeply. "One wish. Plain and simple."  
  
"I wish you'd go away."  
  
"That's not what your heart is saying." Skuld shrugged. "If I bother you so much, then quit following me."  
  
"While you stay close to Yoriko?"  
  
"Tomorrow I'll hang out with Saori."  
  
"Very well."  
  
"So it's just her, is it?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
Skuld cocked her head knowingly. "I've been gathering data on you, seeing as you've been so uncooperative. Once I finish my analysis, I will know for myself your true heart's desire. And I will stop at nothing to ensure you get it."  
  
"It's time to go home, Skuld!" Yoriko called out. "See ya, Aoi!"  
  
Skuld smiled. "Until tomorrow then, Aoi Futaba." 


	4. Chapter 4

IV.  
  
"Are you all right, Natsumi?" Miyuki asked as they walked into Bokuto station together. "You're kind of quiet."  
  
"I'm fine," Natsumi said, smiling slightly. "I'm just not fully awake yet. You know me."  
  
"I guess so," Miyuki laughingly replied. But she remained watchful of her friend as they entered the Traffic Department.  
  
"Good.morning.." Miyuki said faintly, as she tried to make sense out of the ruckus before her.  
  
A beautiful, exotic lady in skimpy clothing seemed plastered to Toukairin's back. Saori was complaining loudly about the indecency of it all. The male officers were openly gaping in admiration as the girls chattered noisily.  
  
The chief and Detective Tokuno were quietly discussing the situation.  
  
One glance at Natsumi's troubled expression made Miyuki straighten her shoulders and march towards the chief's desk.  
  
"What seems to be the problem?" Her question was directed to her superior, but her gaze pinned Toukairin.  
  
He shifted uncomfortably. "This.woman.lost her memory."  
  
"Oh. I see." Miyuki's face registered a trace of pity, but her eyes remained coldly fixed on Toukairin. "How'd you come upon her?"  
  
"She, um, came out of the television."  
  
Silence. A strangled sound that was part laugh, part snort, and part curse emitted from Natsumi.  
  
"Natsumi, will you listen to me? No, don't go running off again! NATSUMI!!"  
  
Natsumi stopped and turned back, her face devoid of expression.  
  
"It's true, I'm telling you!" Toukairin said. "When have I ever given you a reason to doubt me? I know it sounds crazy but."  
  
"These people are scaring me, darling," The stranger said, clutching him tightly.  
  
Natsumi snapped then. She stomped over, her intent to forcibly pull away the stranger away evident as she reached out with her arm.  
  
"No, don't!" Toukairin cried out suddenly, knocking her arm away with more force than he'd intended.  
  
Natsumi tripped, falling hard on her backside. Ignoring his outstretched hand, she pushed herself up and walked away.  
  
Miyuki rounded on Toukairin then.  
  
"Stay away," He warned. "And watch."  
  
He wrenched himself away from the woman's grasp. Lightning struck then. Screams echoed throughout the room.  
  
"NO! DON'T LEAVE ME!" The woman screamed hysterically.  
  
Toukairin lunged for her, gathering her in his arms again.  
  
The storms ceased.  
  
"NOW tell me how I'm supposed to deal with her," Toukairin said through gritted teeth.  
  
* * *  
  
The doorbell rang.  
  
"SKULD! SKULD! Could you get that, please? It's probably Aoi!" Yoriko yelled through the continuous flow of water.  
  
BRIIIIIIING, RIIIIIING!!  
  
"SKULD!"  
  
"Yoriko?!" Aoi's voice called out frantically. "Are you all right?"  
  
Groaning, Yoriko shut off the shower and grabbed a towel. Slipping and sliding towards the door, she finally managed to grab hold of the knob.  
  
"Sorry," She said breathlessly as she yanked the door open.  
  
"YORIKO!" Aoi exclaimed, bounding in the room so quickly, he rammed into Yoriko. He grabbed her shoulders in an effort to steady them both.  
  
Fear and nerves dissipated to relief, and an altogether different sensation.  
  
With a flick of Skuld's finger, the towel slipped a notch.  
  
Aoi stumbled back. "Um, shouldn't you go get dressed?"  
  
Yoriko clutched at the towel. "Oh, right!" She said cheerfully. "Sorry, sorry, I couldn't seem to wake up on time today and I had to take a shower, and." She chattered continuously as she went to her room to change.  
  
Aoi glanced suspiciously at Skuld, who calmly read through a magazine while listening to music over earphones.  
  
A few hours later.  
  
"ZAPPER? You want to go to Daimaru and Sena's place?" Aoi said, dumbfounded as they reached their destination.  
  
"Yeah, I promised Sena we'd take over the registration booth for her."  
  
"On your day off? That's really nice of you, Yoriko," Aoi commented as they strode in the shop.  
  
"Of course, of course," Yoriko said. "AND the best part is, we'll get to know who'll register and come up with some pretty good bets for the race!" She clapped her hands in excitement. "Personally, I'd go for Nakajima, but you never know who'll be joining this race."  
  
Aoi shook his head. It figured that Yoriko had some scheme up her sleeve when she volunteered to help Sena out.  
  
And yet.  
  
Aoi smiled fondly as he watched his friend play with a lonely Megumi.  
  
Deep within was a truly kind and generous spirit that he'd come to know.  
  
.and love?  
  
He felt his body jolt slightly. THAT thought had come from nowhere. And surely it meant nothing.just a slip of the mind.was there even such a thing?  
  
Aoi stole a glance at Skuld, who was busily arranging shelves. He frowned and guiltily averted his gaze. Why must he blame a child for everything these days?  
  
Still, when Skuld left the room, the air seemed to have gotten lighter.  
  
.and hotter?  
  
"Geez," Yoriko said, echoing his thoughts. "It sure is hot in here."  
  
"You're right, maybe I should go ask Sena if the air-conditioning blew." He broke off as Yoriko stumbled a bit. "Hey! Are you all right?"  
  
"Fine.just a bit.dizzy." She uttered.  
  
Aoi reached out in time to catch Yoriko, who had literally fainted in his arms. He held her close for a moment, staring at her face. Emotions that he could not, WOULD not face were struggling to surface. He was about to lay her gently on the ground and call for help, when.  
  
"You love her, don't you?"  
  
Aoi stared at the little she-demon, his instincts setting off alarm bells in his head.  
  
"You did this," Aoi stated, his calm exterior belying the rage that was fast consuming him.  
  
"Only so that you could see the light," She replied gently. "Can't you see? There. There is your true heart's desire!"  
  
Skuld started walking slowly towards them. "I have been studying you. All calculations, all data I've gathered simply confirm the obvious! You want her!" She stopped then, some distance from him. "But you can't have her."  
  
Light emitted from Skuld's body. "Because you are only half a man. You do not believe yourself fit to be with her; you're scared."  
  
"I can make you whole again, Aoi Futaba. I can make you a man again. All you have to do is proclaim it as your fondest wish!"  
  
Trembling, Aoi laid Yoriko gently on the floor, then walked to the other side of the counter, facing Skuld.  
  
"Stop playing with me mind!" He ordered.  
  
"Stop denying yourself," Skuld said evenly. "I know.no, YOU know you want this. Just wish for it, what are you holding back for?"  
  
"You don't know what you're talking about!"  
  
"Oh? Then tell me you don't love her! Go on. Say it and I'll leave you alone!"  
  
Silence. Skuld swallowed hard as she waited for Aoi's response.  
  
"Yes." Aoi said painfully. "Yes, I love her. That has never been the problem!"  
  
Skuld sighed in relief. "Then wish," She said gently. "And be happy."  
  
Suddenly, Aoi's expression became carefully blank again. Refusing to meet Skuld's gaze, he brushed past her and headed out the door.  
  
Skuld whirled around in disbelief. "Wait! Where are you going?"  
  
Aoi turned to face her then. "Stop meddling in affairs you could never understand," He said coldly. "For a goddess, you seem to bring nothing but pain."  
  
Without another word, Aoi strode out of the shop.  
  
Skuld stomped after him. As she swung the door open and stepped out, Aoi was nowhere in sight. Instead, she felt another presence beside her.  
  
"Belldandy.!" Skuld said in surprise. Then she smiled. "Checking up on me?"  
  
Belldandy stared at her somberly. "What are you doing Skuld?"  
  
Guilty, Skuld looked away.  
  
"Skuld."  
  
"I know, I know. But I swear I didn't take this lightly. I studied Aoi, analyzed his behavior, inputted conditions into my best computer and I found his true heart's desire. I.I just wanted to help him make the right decision."  
  
Belldandy laid a hand on her sister's shoulder. "You had the best intentions at heart. But you must remember."  
  
"A true goddess comes from here," Belldandy moved her hand over the left side of her chest. "Not here." She touched Skuld's forehead. "That is your talent. It is your advantage, your power. But." Belldandy lowered her hands at her sides again. "Your gift is deep within your heart. That is your guide."  
  
"I don't understand." Skuld looked close to tears.  
  
Almost uncharacteristically, Belldandy continued to stare sternly at her sister.  
  
"I think you do. I see the guilt in you, over what you've done. Be strong, Skuld. Learn to account for your actions from now on."  
  
Skuld remained stubbornly silent. A few moments later, she moved her head in a faint nod.  
  
"All right, then. Let's go have some lunch." Smiling, Belldandy took her sister's hand and walked to the garage to call everyone in.  
  
Inside the shop, a rather troubled Yoriko sat on the floor, her mind filled with the confrontation between Skuld and Aoi.  
  
* * *  
  
An equally troubled Toukairin set a plate of lunch before his visitor. She smiled up at him gratefully and proceeded to eat. Not with the gusto Natsumi always portrayed, but with a quiet sense of style.  
  
She really was an exotic creature, Toukairin admitted to himself.  
  
He was so lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed when she moved close to him, angling her face as though to kiss him. Startled, he pushed himself back.  
  
She pouted a little. "What's wrong with me?"  
  
"Nothing.it's just that.um.this isn't at all proper, me being an officer and all. I'm really not supposed to be taking advantage of people who've lost their memory.I."  
  
She laughed. "Is that all that's stopping you?" She edged even closer to him.  
  
"Don't," He said quietly. "You'll lose yourself even more by acting so impulsively."  
  
"It's all because of her, isn't it?" She said angrily. "That girl who went crying off this morning when she saw us together!"  
  
He said nothing.  
  
"Why?" She demanded a bit tearfully. "Is she prettier? Kinder?"  
  
"She's."  
  
"Well, I don't care! She can't stop me from doing this much!" Quick as a wink, she jumped up and leaned against him.  
  
Before he could react, she screeched and drew back. Natsumi had jumped on her, yanking violently at her hair.  
  
"Get it off! Get if off!"  
  
With a sigh, Toukairin reached out with one hand and pulled the monkey away. He gave it a banana and set it down again.  
  
The strange woman was a really pitiful sight. Like a beautiful, innocent girl craving for affection.  
  
But it wasn't his to give.  
  
"Why don't you walk around the roof?" He suggested. "You'll get a better feel of things. When you get over your fear, your mind will stop trying to block things."  
  
She refused to move. "Why?" She asked again.  
  
He didn't pretend to misunderstand. "She's everything."  
  
At that, she walked away, staring listlessly at the sky. 


	5. Chapter 5

PART III: Denial/Pain  
  
V.  
  
Lunch was pleasant enough, but there was a palpable tension in the air. As much as Keichi, Belldandy, and Sena tried to keep the conversation light, the lack of response from their other visitors began to strain them considerably. Eventually, Belldandy and Sena excused themselves as they cleared the table. Keichi muttered some senseless stuff before disappearing into the garage.  
  
"Done baiting me?" Aoi said finally. "You ought to be now that your cover's blown."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"It MEANS." Aoi said in an annoyingly slow manner. "That you've just introduced that girl as your sister. You're obviously not some being that hurtled down from the heavens, although you probably come from very far away. How would you like me to tell your sister what a brat you're being?"  
  
Skuld smiled easily, crossing her arms over her chest. "You are really stubborn. Anyone with half a brain can figure out that she's a goddess too. What else but a heavenly wish would cause someone like her to be bound to an earthling?"  
  
"Oh, give me a break."  
  
"Do you really think someone as pretty, as special as my sister would stay here if not for the power of a wish? To spend the rest of her life with a poor student, catering to his every whim?"  
  
"I CAN grant your heart's desire," Skuld stood then, slamming her palms against the table, leaning towards Aoi. "So just tell me straight out, what you really want. And it'll all be yours."  
  
"YOU CAN NEVER BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I WANT!" Aoi shouted.  
  
"I ALREADY DO!" Skuld screamed back.  
  
"THEN YOU'RE JUST A STUPID GODDESS WHO CAN'T READ PEOPLE'S HEARTS TO SAVE HER LIFE!!!"  
  
The harsh screech of a chair being pushed back caught their attention.  
  
Aoi was shocked at the pain evident in Yoriko's features.  
  
"Yoriko.?" He said quietly, carefully.  
  
Blinking back tears, she turned and walked away.  
  
"Yoriko!!!" Aoi cried out, standing up as well. He glanced back at Skuld, hate emanating from his entire being. So much that Skuld actually cringed. "Stay out of my life."  
  
Aoi rushed out the open doorway that Yoriko passed through. As they disappeared into the garage, Skuld noted another figure that had been standing by the doorway.  
  
Wordlessly, Keichi turned back to the cars and bikes, closing the door behind him.  
  
Stunned, Skuld sank back into her chair. Then she laid her head on her arms and burst into tears.  
  
* * *  
  
"Yoriko!" Aoi called as Yoriko continued to talk, straight into the streets. "Yoriko, wait!"  
  
She stopped then, Aoi ran in front of her. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," She mumbled.  
  
"Yoriko." Aoi said sadly.  
  
"I.I never realized." She took a deep breath. "It's just that today I found out certain things, which I never knew.never dared to hope.so I've kept them buried within me. But now."  
  
"Now.?" Aoi prodded quietly.  
  
"Now, nothing," Yoriko said, smiling. "They will stay there. My own little secret. And maybe over time, I'll learn to forget again and go on with life. I had begun to accept that it was impossible. I've traveled this road before, I can take it again."  
  
"Yoriko." Aoi said, shaken. "Why.why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"And trouble me best friend?" Yoriko laughed a bit. She was smiling brightly now. "I love you, Aoi Futaba, first and foremost as my very treasured friend. I would not risk that for anything, not even the slight chance that you would be a man again.for me."  
  
She laid a hand on Aoi's cheek. Aoi met her troubled gaze, then yelped as Yoriko playfully pinched and pulled.  
  
"OOOOW.what was that for?"  
  
"You suddenly became so serious!" Yoriko said, laughing. "I didn't want any weirdness, I want to go home, watch TV, eat a good supper, sleep - rest easy, knowing tomorrow, things will be back to normal."  
  
Adjusting her glasses, she continued to walk down the road.  
  
"Yoriko, Aoi!" Sena called. "There are people registering!"  
  
"Coming!" Aoi called back. Inwardly, however, he felt his heart growing heavier and heavier at the prospect of spending the entire day taking registrations Yoriko planned for.  
  
Normal? It wasn't a normal Yoriko who'd forget her bets and schemes.  
  
What that depressing thought in mind, he headed back into the Zapper.  
  
* * *  
  
There were many troubled souls in Bokuto that day. The most vocal of which came very late into the night.  
  
"THAT SHTOOPID SHTINKIN' BASHTARD!!"  
  
"Natsumi, c'mon." Miyuki said, tugging on her arm a little desperately. "I already told you the story and swore to you that I've seen it with my own eyes. It's not really his fault. He is bound to that woman until she regains her memory."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I knowsh that. Bat dat doeshna mean I have ta like it!" She snarled, downing another bottle of sake. She blinked, shook the empty bottle, then shrugged, tossing it aside. "Ey! One more bottle 'ere!"  
  
"Enough's enough, Natsumi, you're coming with me right now!" Miyuki began to pull harder on her arm, when another commotion at the front door caught her attention.  
  
"I'm sorry.so sorry.sake.I.need.sake."  
  
"Hold on," A familiar voice was saying frantically. "Just hold on."  
  
Luck would have it that Miyuki managed to get Natsumi on her feet as the new customers came walking in. They stared at Toukairin, then at the woman perpetually plastered to his back.  
  
"Well, shpeak of the bashtard." Natsumi slurred.  
  
Toukairin blanched at the strong smell of liquor. "Go home, Natsumi. You should know better."  
  
Natsumi snorted. "Look whosh talkin'!" She swayed a bit, clutching at Miyuki to keep from falling.  
  
"What are you doing here, Mr. Toukairin?" Miyuki queried, trying desperately to hold Natsumi steady.  
  
He shifted uncomfortably. "She said she'd get really sick and die if I didn't give her sake."  
  
Natsumi burst out laughing, then, long and hard. "Sa.sake!" She gasped between laughs. "Sh.She'll die without sake!" She succumbed to helpless giggles then. "My, that certainly is believable!"  
  
Lightning flashed outside the bar. Toukairin tensed.  
  
"Oh, well, she's mad now, isn't she?" Natsumi sneered. "Mad enough to spit fire! Isn't that how it goes? And there she is, the archetype of a real bitch, spouting lightning!"  
  
"Just SHUT UP, Natsumi," Toukairin finally burst out. "Go home!!"  
  
Natsumi glanced at him. For a fleeting moment, a semblance of pain seemed to streak across her expression. But then she rounded on her prey once more.  
  
"Have you no pride?" She hissed. "Playing with something that isn't yours!"  
  
"You're the one with no pride," Toukairin bit out. "For the last time, get out of here."  
  
Stricken, Natsumi turned and stumbled her way out of the bar, Miyuki close behind her. Miyuki threw one last reprimanding look at Toukairin before closing the door behind her.  
  
"Dammit, dammit.dammit, dammit, dammit!" Toukairin took the bottle of sake the bartender held out and started drinking it himself.  
  
Neither Toukairin nor Natsumi noticed that the lightning had ceased and the weather had finally cleared.  
  
* * *  
  
Belldandy looked out the open window thoughtfully. The lightning and thunder patterns had been so erratic in the past few days that the truth had nearly eluded her.  
  
"She's here," Skuld said woodenly as she entered Belldandy's room. "Figures that she'd be here to witness my failure."  
  
"Skuld."  
  
Skuld shook her head. "It's all right, Belldandy. It's just.it wasn't for me." She smiled sadly. "So go pick up Urd tomorrow and head on home. I'll ask for a renewal of my earth training permit while I figure out what I'm really meant to do."  
  
A deep breath. "Anyway, good night." Skuld bowed and left the room.  
  
"Good night," Belldandy replied softly. "Little sister." Closing her eyes, she began to pray. For light, for guidance.  
  
For hope. 


	6. Chapter 6

VI.  
  
Urd mumbled incoherently, tossing about slightly as the morning light pierced through her eyelids, forcing her awake. Groggily, she sat up. Confused, she glanced around wildly until she saw a familiar figure leaning against the railing. She sighed in relief then. She had come to depend on him, as he symbolized something that one could always count on.  
  
She stood and walked towards him.  
  
"I see you watching them," She said.  
  
He glanced questioningly at her.  
  
"The mountains," She clarified. "You're always looking at them; at pictures, at your climbing gear." She leaned against the railing as well. "They're your passion, I can tell."  
  
"The mountains are my life." He agreed.  
  
A few heartbeats of understanding silence.  
  
".but my home is here," He finished.  
  
Urd said nothing, but her eyes were bright from unshed tears, as he turned and sauntered back to his tent.  
  
"You can keep the arrow," Urd said. "And save me the unnecessary pain. I remember everything now."  
  
Belldandy lowered her arm, the Arrow of Lost Memory disappearing.  
  
"I was worried about you."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Skuld failed at her first task," Belldandy said after a while. "It's time we left."  
  
Urd continued to evade her sister's gaze.  
  
"Urd.we don't belong here," She reminded her gently.  
  
"I know," Urd said softly.  
  
"Urd."  
  
"He gives up mountains for her, you know?" Urd said. "Mine won't even give up a stupid bird." Urd angrily wiped at the tears that were steadily finding their way down her cheeks.  
  
Silence.  
  
Belldandy sighed. Then she smiled, saying, "Well, it would be a shame to waste our time here, what with the race being tomorrow and all. Keichi would hate to miss it. I suppose we can give Skuld one more day to work things out."  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow.after the race." Belldandy retrieved her broom and flew off.  
  
"Thank you," Urd said.  
  
* * *  
  
Normal? Who was she kidding? Yoriko still couldn't seem to face Aoi. With that in mind, she headed towards the room that served as a storage area for the station's paperwork. No one ever went there.  
  
She slammed the door open, her started scream mingling with Skuld's. Skuld fell off the stool she'd been standing on, landing heavily on the floor.  
  
"Owowowowow." She muttered.  
  
"Oh!" Yoriko exclaimed.  
  
"WAAAH! I'm sorry!" Skuld scrambled to stand up and immediately bowed. "It's just that I've made such as mess of things, I figured the least I could do was fix the files."  
  
Yoriko pushed up her glasses, then she grinned, closing the door behind her.  
  
"Hey, let's see if I can dig up some new gossip here," She said cheerfully.  
  
"Wha.?" Skuld uttered, dumbfounded.  
  
Yoriko began to pick up the files Skuld had dropped. "I might find some good stuff for our website here."  
  
"Oh, Ok." Skuld shrugged. She placed her stool back in an upright position, and was about to stand on it when she realized that Yoriko had suddenly become very quiet.  
  
"It's Aoi's file." She whispered. "I really shouldn't.but."  
  
Skuld climbed back down.  
  
Yoriko shook her head. "I can't."  
  
Skuld made up her mind then. Taking Yoriko's hand, she laid her free hand on the folder.  
  
"I'll show you." Skuld said. "Then it would be me who."  
  
"YORIKO! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! I SAW YOU COME IN!" Aoi barged inside, toppling against them. They all landed in a heap on the floor, Skuld's energy surrounding them.  
  
"This can't be good!" Skuld wailed.  
  
"What the.what are you doing with my file?!"  
  
"Hey, what's with the light?!"  
  
"Hang on.!!!"  
  
* * *  
  
"Honestly, Aoi, you're being such a jerk!" The petite policewoman scolded.  
  
Aoi batted his eyelashes. "Moi?" He laughed then. "C'mon, Hitomi, how can I take this seriously? It's not me!" He stood up, swaying his hips so the skirts would swish. "Heavens, it's not even my color!"  
  
His male friends laughed.  
  
Hitomi, Reiko, and the other female officers stood with their arms folded.  
  
"Aw, c'mon, girls!" Aoi said. "No pervert can resist me!"  
  
"You aren't taking this seriously at all," Reiko muttered.  
  
"Well, excuse me, but it's hard to take 12 tons of skirt seriously," Aoi said in disgust.  
  
"Worried about your manhood?" Reiko said sweetly.  
  
"Not at all!" Aoi said indignantly. "Although, I think my hair may be out of place. Should I tie it back or maybe try a bun."  
  
"Oh, no, no, no!" Hirosuke said. "Curls are just the thing these days, you know!"  
  
"You think so?" Aoi said, eyes wide in interest.  
  
Hitomi sighed. "This could've been such a worthwhile project. It would be so much easier to handle perverts this way."  
  
"Oh, please, any more of this and I'll be a pervert!" Aoi scoffed. His companions nodded in agreement. "Sorry, but this style is just NOT Aoi Futaba!"  
  
Hitomi's lips trembled. Silently, she turned back towards her desk.  
  
"Nice going, hotshot," Reiko sneered. "The project was her idea you know."  
  
Aoi flushed. He glanced guiltily at Hitomi, then shrugged. "Then they should've chosen a more believable target," He said evenly. "Face it. I can never pull off being a girl."  
  
"Oh, yeah? Well, you sure are acting like one," Reiko stated, leaving their group in a huff.  
  
"Ah, what does she not?"  
  
"Yeah, Futaba, drop the skirt and let's shoot some hoops!"  
  
"Maybe later." Aoi said absently, fingering his skirt. "I uh, may as well get used to this type of clothing."  
  
* * *  
  
Aoi sighed. It was just too ridiculous. And damn painful. How did women bear high heels? Wobbling uncontrollably, he saw the front steps of the station loom before him.  
  
Losing his nerver, he kicked off his pretty shoes and rummaged in his backpack for his trusty rubbershoes.  
  
Small, delicate hands picked up the discarded shoes.  
  
"I'm sorry, I know this has been really difficult for you," Hitomi said shyly as she handed him the annoying footwear.  
  
"Oh, no, really, I think it's a wonderful idea.it's just that.it's not for me, Hitomi. I just don't feel comfortable in women's clothing. I." At the sight of her sudden, downcast expression, he sighed. "I.just need time to get used to it," He conceded. Her bright smile encouraged him further. "Um.just give me some time.I'll get this right, I promise!" He forced himself to squelch the lingering doubts within him.  
  
"That's great! Th.thank you! You know, it meant the world to me to know that the great Aoi Futaba, the most popular and competent member of our force was chosen for this project!" She said, bubbling with happiness. "I just knew it would be a success!"  
  
Impulsively, she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Blushing a little, she bowed and walked away.  
  
Aoi watched her for a moment, then turned and strode off as well, whistling as he proceeded down the road back to his house.  
  
* * *  
  
"Hitomi was raped yesterday afternoon."  
  
Beautiful, innocent Hitomi. The youngest and most idealistic among them. The young, bright Hitomi had been assaulted, brutalized.  
  
No one deserved that. No woman that young deserved that. No matter what her faults where, and truthfully, Hitomi had so little.  
  
Now she was no more than a shell of her former self. Traumatized and badly beaten, she refused to move or speak. Her bright eyes were listless and no trace of a smile touched her lips.  
  
He had taken their Hitomi.so very near the station, just in the alley a few blocks down.  
  
* * *  
  
"Shit. Shit. SHIT!" Aoi raged, downing another bottle of liquor and smashing it against the wall.  
  
"Dammit. Fuck." Aoi crumpled, fell on his knees, burying his face in his hands.  
  
Hitomi.Hitomi.  
  
.forgive me.  
  
If I had taken you more seriously, if I had taken my job more seriously instead of giving into my stupid pride.  
  
It should've been me. He should've gone after me and left you alone.  
  
.but I wasn't convincing enough. I couldn't.no, I just wouldn't play the part.  
  
It should've been me.  
  
Aoi grabbed the clothes he'd carelessly tossed about the night before.  
  
"When I heard the great Aoi Futaba would be handling it, I just knew the project would succeed."  
  
And so it will, little Hitomi.  
  
I swear it.  
  
* * *  
  
It took only a couple of days. Then the famed Aoi Futaba was no more. In his place was a woman so perfect, no stranger could resist.  
  
The perpetrator was caught and put to justice. Aoi continued on with Hitomi's project.  
  
The perverts, peeping toms, and brutal criminals against women were revealed, one by one, taken in by Aoi's charm and brought to jail shortly thereafter.  
  
Aoi couldn't let go. In a month's time, he had completely lost himself and requested transfer to another district.  
  
But the memory of Hitomi would stay with him forever.  
  
* * *  
  
Hitomi.  
  
"NOOOO!!!!" Aoi screamed, blocking the memories from his mind.  
  
And that was perhaps what saved them, dangerously linked as they were when Skuld's power went awry.  
  
Yoriko and Skuld remained too stunned to speak, much less move. Aoi hugged his knees, rocking back and forth as he trembled uncontrollably.  
  
"Nobody deserved that.it was my fault.I could never be happy, knowing that she lives in a private hell because of me."  
  
"Oh, God, I remember her so clearly now." Aoi's face turned deathly pale. Clamping his hand against his mouth, he stood and rushed out of the room.  
  
A few moments later, Yoriko quietly left as well.  
  
Skuld spent the rest of the day sitting amidst files and paperwork, unable to do much except stare blankly across the room.  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you feeling all right, Keichi?" Belldandy said worriedly as Keichi parked his motorcycle. "You've been quiet since yesterday."  
  
He smiled weakly at her. "I'm fine. Well, maybe just a little tired. A lot of participants wanted their bikes tuned up. Then there's been some sabotage and more repairs. Others are shopping for new parts.Daimaru and Sena have earned a lot from this race."  
  
"I'm glad," Belldandy said as they advanced towards the Traffic Department. "They're very nice."  
  
"Yeah, but I don't see why Sena was so worried about Ken's lunch," Keichi complained. "We'd be doing them a bigger favor by staying at the garage and helping them out."  
  
She chuckled softly at that. "I think they just wanted some time along together." She smiled cheerfully. "Besides, I wanted to see where are friends are working."  
  
"Yeah, you're right."  
  
"Keichi.?" She said, noticing the sad note to his tone. Before she could continue prying him, however, they had reached their destination. The din that reached beyond the closed door fairly shook the walls. "Um."  
  
His thoughts echoed her own. "Is this the right.?"  
  
The door opened then, and a rather frustrated Miyuki stepped out. She blinked upon seeing them, and immediately slammed the door shut behind her.  
  
"Hi, um." She flushed. "Sorry, we're not usually like this.it's just that it's lunch time, and."  
  
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Miyuki," Belldandy said kindly. "We just dropped by to give Ken his lunch. Sena made it especially for him, you see."  
  
"Oh, well, why don't you come in, then?" Miyuki said. "Just, um, give, give me a moment.!" She poked her head in the doorway.  
  
"We have visitors!" She proclaimed loudly.  
  
If their curiosity wasn't enough to quiet them down, Belldandy's beauty, grace, and sweet nature certainly drew attention. Especially from the male species.  
  
Once she'd handed Nakajima his lunch, Miyuki began showing the visitors around, introducing them.  
  
"Cool it, guys," Nakajima said to his fellow male officers. "She's obviously taken."  
  
"By that shrimp?"  
  
Keichi felt an invisible arrow strike him from behind.  
  
"Hey, that guy's very good with motorcycles. He's been in some races and I've seen him working around the Zapper. He knows his stuff."  
  
The resounding "ooh" meant that Keichi was now held in high regard by other officers like Nakajima, who spent their days riding on the station's white motorcycles.  
  
"Yeah, but is he good enough to beat the White Hawk of the Bokuto Station?"  
  
"I've heard some friends talk about this guy after they've had repairs done at the Zapper. He's got quite a reputation."  
  
"Care to take a bet and make this race more exciting for us mere spectators?"  
  
"You're on! 10,000 yen on Nakajima!"  
  
"12 on the new guy!"  
  
Nakajima an Keichi assessed each other. They had not really considered themselves competition up to that point. They both looked at Miyuki and Belldandy (who, of course, remain completely innocent and unaware of the whole matter), then simultaneously turned back to what each considered his "main" competition.  
  
The stakes were on; in more ways than one.  
  
For the Bokuto officers, it was the thrill of gambling money.  
  
For our two heroes, it was the thought of winning for love.  
  
For Yoriko, it was not worth arguing about. The fact that she did not bet on either one was not lost on Aoi, who felt his already heavy heart snap in two.  
  
A Yoriko who did not join in the schemes and games of her fellow officers; in fact, a Yoriko who was not at the center of it all, was not the one he'd come to love.  
  
What had he done?  
  
What could he do? 


	7. Chapter 7

PART IV: Love  
  
VII.  
  
Morning.  
  
The shrill sound of the alarm clock jarred him out of sleep. Long fingers with painted nails reached out to turn off the alarm.  
  
A few moments later, Aoi threw back the covers of his frilly bed. He plumped up his pillows again, arranging them neatly at the head of the bed. He folded his blankets carefully and drew the covers on the sheets.  
  
Satisfied, he stretched his arms overhead and donned a pair of fluffy slippers. He went to the bathroom for his customary hot shower. He consumed generous amounts of lilac scented soap and shampoo.  
  
Afterwards, he'd consume a small amount of the tea and cookies, dressed in nothing more than a cotton pink bathrobe. After cleaning up, he'd begin the process of curling his hair and using a hair dryer to soften it up. Carefully applied make-up and some earrings completed his look.  
  
All that was left was the uniform.  
  
He opened his closet, put on the necessary undergarments. Then he reached in to pull out a skirt and blouse. Once he was ready, he studied himself in the full-length mirror.  
  
As always, he was the picture of a very lovely young woman.  
  
That was how Aoi Futaba started his day.  
  
* * *  
  
Yoriko looked up as the door to the traffic department swung open. She regarded Aoi and his choice of attire quietly, then shrugged and returned to her computer.  
  
"Um." Aoi looked about the empty room.  
  
"Everyone's at the race," Yoriko explained. "I didn't feel like going."  
  
"Yoriko." Aoi began, then stopped. She really didn't know what to say.  
  
Fortunately, Skuld chose that moment to burst in, successfully distracting the two officers with her unkempt look. Her wild gaze expressed a sleepless night.  
  
"I have it," She gasped out. "I know what to do. Hop on my Turbo Broom Cruiser and let's go." She produced a broom with a rather long handle and a lot of extra contraptions clamped on it.  
  
Aoi and Yoriko blinked.  
  
"Come ON already!" Skuld screeched.  
  
The desperation in her eyes convinced the two officers to give in to her plea. Cautiously, they settled themselves on the broom.  
  
In mere seconds, they were nowhere to be seen. A large cloud of dust and smoke was the only indication that they had been there.  
  
* * *  
  
"AND LET THE RACE BEGIN!!!" The announcer yelled.  
  
Engines revved up. In moments, motorcycles burst through the "racing track" designed by Daimaru (approved by the Traffic Department to ensure an easy flow of vehicles on the main roads).  
  
With the encouraging thought of a winner's kiss urging them on, Nakajima and Keichi pulled ahead of the pack.  
  
"We have it on good authority that the top contenders of this race are Ken Nakajima and Keichi Morisato. With me now is the main sponsor of this event, Daimaru Nakajima. Sir, what are your thoughts on the outcome of this race?"  
  
"Well," Daimaru said in a formal tone. "Both are very skilled riders. Morisato has had a lot of experience with races, which gives him an edge in maneuvering to obtain the best speed. Nakajima, on the other hand, is more adept at handling these roads, given the nature of his work and the fact that he rides through this entire district every single day. I can only say that I am honored to have two such riders in our race and that this will be a very close match indeed."  
  
"I hope they don't hurt themselves," Miyuki said worriedly. Inwardly, however, she crossed her fingers for Nakajima's victory.  
  
"Yes, the important thing is that they have fun." Belldandy agreed, adding in her thoughts,  
  
But I'm always rooting for my dear Keichi!  
  
* * *  
  
Izu Mental Institute.  
  
"Here you go.you're allowed 1 hour's visitation in this private room, Officer Futaba. Please try not to agitate the patient. Just flick on the switch if need assistance." The nurse looked up as another aide brought Hitomi in. "You should have no trouble with her, though.she.doesn't do much." The nurse finished helplessly.  
  
An awkward pause. The two nurses hurriedly left the room.  
  
Aoi stared at Hitomi, and whatever was within his chest constricted to painful proportions.  
  
She looked very young. Her once short hair was now shoulder length, pulled back with a bright blue ribbon. Her large eyes were still so innocent. She sat on her wheelchair, looking through him. She didn't move except to breathe. Her fair skin bordered on pale, almost translucent.  
  
"Are you ready, Aoi?" Skuld asked. He turned questioningly to her, but before he could say anything, Skuld closed her eyes and held out her arms. Light shone from her. Warm, bright light. Another kind of light, a straight beam from the heavens, reached for the symbols on her face.  
  
Aoi and Yoriko could only watch, mesmerized, as the light receded and Skuld descended. She opened her eyes slowly.  
  
"A.Aoi?"  
  
Aoi gasped and snapped his gaze back to Hitomi. Hitomi winced as she reached out with her arm, which had been immobile for the longest time, to touch his face. Aoi clasped her hand and laid it on his cheek.  
  
"Hitomi."  
  
"Aoi." Her face broke into a smile. "It's so good to see you, but what." She stared at him in confusion. "The project.is it still.?"  
  
"No, no, the project was a success," He assured her. "We caught the main target and countless others after that." He smiled tremulously. "You were right. I was the best one for the job, and well, the project kind of stuck with me."  
  
"Oh." She blinked. "Oh. I see." Somehow, she did understand, up to a certain extent, but she continued to look at him expectantly.  
  
Aoi broke down then, the tears streaming freely down his cheeks. "Oh, God.Hitomi." He choked out, reaching for her hands and holding them tightly. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. It should've been me. If I took the project more seriously, he would've gone after me and left you alone. I'm sorry.I'm sorry."  
  
"Aoi." Hitomi began.  
  
"But it's going to be all right, isn't it? You'll come with me and I'll help take care of you, I swear it. We'll rid the streets of."  
  
"Oh, Aoi." Hitomi said sadly. "I can't go with you. Not yet. Maybe not for a very long time. I'm sorry too, I was just so weak. Even now I." She squeezed her eyes shut. "The visions, the memories." She shook her head. "I have to go back now, Aoi."  
  
"Wait.!" Aoi cried out desperately.  
  
Hitomi drew a painful breath, forcing her eyes open. She gathered enough strength for one last minute with an old friend.  
  
"I'm sorry, I HAVE to go back, Aoi..but..before I go.I.I just want you to know.that if I should ever wake up and join.the real world again." Another deep breath and a last attempt at a thread of sanity. "I would not like to be in a world where a man like Aoi Futaba doesn't exist!" She proclaimed clearly.  
  
"Hitomi.HITOMI!!!" Aoi grabbed Hitomi, holding her tightly, his shoulders violently shaking with long suppressed sobs. Hitomi hung limply in his arms, like a pathetic rag doll. Her face was again devoid of expression.  
  
* * *  
  
"WE'RE AT THE FINAL STRETCH AND NAKAJIMA AND MORISATO REMAIN SIDE BY SIDE AS THEY NEAR THE FINISH LINE."  
  
"THE CHEERS ARE GETTING LOUDER.IS ONE OF THEM PULLING AHEAD?"  
  
Miyuki and Belldandy clasped each other's hands excitedly. The other officers strained to hear the announcer's words.  
  
".NO WAIT! IT'S ANOTHER RIDER, A LATE ENTRY! LOOK AT 'IM GO! HE'S PULLED AHEAD OF THE TWO RIDERS, HE'S ALMOST THERE, HE.HE MADE IT! WE HAVE OUR WINNER.!!!"  
  
Sighs, groans, and moans echoed in the place where the Bokuto officers were gathered. Miyuki and Belldandy sighed in unison as they both left to seek out and comfort their respective partners.  
  
"HE'S TAKING THE TROPHY.TAKING OFF HIS HELMET.OH MY.SHE'S A WOMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.I'M GETTING THE NAME NOW."  
  
"NATSUMI TSUJIMOTO!!!"  
  
"WHAAAAT?!" The officers shrieked.  
  
After a long period of shock, they begrudgingly handed the winnings, the pot money for all the bets, to the chief.  
  
* * *  
  
Given their exhaustion and the fact that they were quite shell-shocked, Aoi, Yoriko, and Skuld took a leisurely ride back to Bokuto in a cab, sipping cups of hot coffee.  
  
"Skuld." Aoi began.  
  
Skuld calmly took a sip of coffee. "No need to thank me. Part of the job and all that. But Aoi." She added, meeting his gaze directly. "I only gave you what you most desired.a chance for redemption, for closure, and from that comes the chance for freedom. But the rest will come from you. Your future is your own now, Aoi Futaba..but only if you will it to be so." Skuld paused, blinking back tears. "I'm glad you were my first task. You certainly made me realize so many things. And Yoriko, thanks for your kindness and understanding. You're a very special person. I can see why Aoi cares for you so much. I wish you both best."  
  
Skuld sighed. "I just have one more thing to do."  
  
And with that, Skuld entered the coffee cup and disappeared.  
  
* * *  
  
Natsumi stood on the platform, her eyes searching the crowd. Then, she smiled and extended her hand.  
  
Toukairin took it, joining her on the stage.  
  
"KISS! KISS! KISS!"  
  
Amidst the cheers, Natsumi drew a deep breath, ready to launch the furious tirade she had planned for Toukairin. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She blinked and frowned up at him in consternation.  
  
Toukairin was eyeing her funnily too. "Were we fighting?"  
  
"I think so ."  
  
"What about?"  
  
"I.I can't remember."  
  
He smiled. "Idiot."  
  
"Stupid," She countered as she leaned forward to receive his kiss.  
  
* * *  
  
Urd watched them from a nearby tree.  
  
"Urd." A hand reached out and settled on her shoulder.  
  
"Had to bribe a bunch of trolls to work wonders within the motorcycle again," Urd said with a heartfelt sigh. "But it was worth it. It was the least I could do after all the trouble I caused. Well." She glanced at the couple one last time, then smiled at her sister. "I'll see you at home."  
  
"Take this broom." Skuld said, gesturing at the Turbo Broom Cruiser. "I don't want to hear about a woman popping out of random TV's on stormy nights again."  
  
"Well, thank you, little sister." The branch creaked as Skuld settled herself on the tree branch and handed Urd the brrom. Urd took it gladly. "Well, guess I'd better go before the tree gives in to all our weights. Judging from your expression." She playfully chucked Skuld under her chin. "You did well. Congratulations."  
  
And with that, Urd flew away.  
  
"Oh, Skuld, I'm so happy for you!" Belldandy said, reaching out to hug her sister.  
  
Skuld returned the hug, with less enthusiasm.  
  
"Um, sis? There's something I have to tell you."  
  
* * *  
  
Elsewhere.  
  
Nakajima sat on a now empty field by the side of the road, contemplating his loss.  
  
"AAAARRGGGHH!!" He threw away the can of beer he'd been drinking and went for the unsophisticated means of showing frustration - pulling on his hair.  
  
So close.so close to winning.not only the race.but.Kobayakawa.  
  
He was so deep in his thoughts that it was a long while before he registered the red box held out before him. He blinked.  
  
It was still there. He looked up to see Miyuki smiling down at him.  
  
He accepted the box with an unsteady hand.  
  
"It's chocolate. You must've forgotten what with the race and all. It's Valentine's Day."  
  
Nakajima continued to stare dumbly at the box.  
  
"I know it's not as grand as a trophy, but."  
  
She broke off as Nakajima suddenly reached out to hug her tight against him. After a moment of surprise, her expression softened. Awkwardly, she patted him on the back. Then she relaxed, laying her chin on top of his head.  
  
* * *  
  
Later that night.  
  
"Bell? It's time to go!" Keichi called out.  
  
"I'll be out in just a minute!" Belldandy replied.  
  
Keichi smiled indulgently, knowing that Belldandy would take her time saying goodbye to Sena and thanking their family for everything.  
  
As he picked up his helmet from the motorcycle seat, he noticed the box of chocolates hidden underneath, as well as the letter next to it. He picked up the letter first.  
  
Dear Keichi,  
  
You wished for me to stay with you forever, binding me to you. But loving you wasn't part of our contract. That was my will, and mine alone.  
  
Belldandy  
  
Keichi pocketed the letter and box as Belldandy walked out of Zapper. Waving goodbye to Sena and Daimaru, he settled himself on the motorcycle as Belldandy sat in the passenger seat.  
  
He put the key in the ignition, but didn't turn it. Instead, he addressed Belldandy.  
  
"Skuld talked to you."  
  
"Yes," Belldandy affirmed. "She admitted that she spoke out of turn and you may have overheard. She couldn't leave without letting me know that she may have upset you. She's growing up to be quite a goddess," She finished proudly.  
  
"Hey, Bell," Keichi said suddenly. "I was just wondering.I mean.based on this thing with Skuld and from past experience with Peorth.how come you granted my wish immediately?"  
  
Belldandy smile. She didn't need to think twice about the answer to that particular question.  
  
"I knew it was truly your heart's desire." She reddened slightly. "Because somehow, I also knew that deep within me, it's what I wanted as well."  
  
Silence. Then Keichi laid his hand on top of hers.  
  
"Thanks, Bell." He said quietly.  
  
He turned the key and started the engine.  
  
"Oh, and Keichi? Happy Valentine's Day." She smiled. "Just in case you didn't know what the chocolates meant."  
  
He laughed. "Happy Valentine's Day."  
  
"Let's go home." 


	8. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
And so one by one.the goddesses left.  
  
Natsumi and Toukairin share a candlelight dinner on the rooftop of Bokuto Station.  
  
Leaving no memories.  
  
"Honey!" Sena said cheerfully. "Would you like some tea? I don't know why, but lately I seem to be craving for afternoon tea!"  
  
Except maybe for some chosen few who will carry the experiences forever in their hearts.  
  
Yoriko was typing listlessly on her keyboard. Her mind couldn't concentrate on work and it certainly wasn't helping her think of a new web page design. She sighed. It didn't seem fair. Aoi got a chance to clear her troubled emotions, while Yoriko somehow got caught in the middle of his healing process and came out being emotionally unstable herself.  
  
She knew that that was a selfish thought and that made her feel much worse.  
  
The door opened.  
  
"Hey, Aoi."  
  
"Good morning, Aoi."  
  
Yoriko slowly raised her head. Aoi came in, all dolled up and dressed in a skirt. Still the prettiest officer in the station.  
  
"Hi, Aoi," She mumbled.  
  
What had she expected? An overnight change of heart? A miracle? Aoi actually grasping his freedom and letting the past go forever?  
  
Aaaaarrghh.  
  
Yoriko groaned and laid her head on her desk.  
  
The beep of incoming mail caught her attention then. She glanced up, scrolling down to her new mail.  
  
To: yoriko_chan@bokuto.com From Aoi_Futaba@bokuto.com  
  
Yoriko sat up straighter in her seat.  
  
There was only 1 line, with 3 words. Yoriko read through it several times to be sure.  
  
Wait for me.  
  
Smiling brightly, she placed it on one of her folders. She leaned back in her chair, reveling on newfound emotions that were building up inside her. No less confusing than her previous feelings, but it was different.  
  
Smiling cheerfully, she called the nearby officers over to discuss her latest scheme.  
  
Aoi watched her from the corner of his eye. He sighed then, but it was a deep sigh of relief as he realized that at long last, he could look forward to tomorrow.  
  
* * *  
  
And in another part of the world, another wrong number would make its way to the Goddess Network. 


End file.
